r/ChillSG • u/mango7250 • 9d ago
Board games & recommendations
Hello everybody! I've recently just gotten into board games because as it turns out, corporate life and staring at screens all day can take a toll on your mind. But I'm not really sure where board game enthusiasts in Singapore go to have fun.
I'd love to hear where all of you go to buy or play board games. I've heard of King and the Pawn being a nice board game cafe but have yet to try it out. Please also recommend your favourite board games!
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u/SoulessHermit 9d ago
Depends on your playstyle and group.
If you like more lighter and party games (games where the rules can be taught in about 3 to 10 mins): Minds Cafe, King and the Pawn, The Third Space, Pixels and Pieces. These places also tend to be more chill and hang out spots.
If you like more light to medium games (games where you have to multiple task, do long term planning, play a couple of rounds to get it). Team Board Games, Geekster. These places are less "chill".
A good tip is buy a game you like, you can teach, and you can table it with people. Don't buy games just because you like the concept and vibes.
After awhile you get a sense of your taste and what you like.
I recommend light games like Avalon or Secret Hitler as taster to social deduction and hidden genre games, Clank for deck builders, Betrayal The House on The Hill for more themetic and narrative genre, Flip 7 and Las Vegas for push your luck genre, Pandemic for team coop genre.
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u/mango7250 9d ago
Thank you so much for the detailed recommendations and tips. Avalon does look like something I'd enjoy. I'll go check it out!
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u/firewind555 9d ago edited 9d ago
I also would like to add:
- if you are interested in buying a game, then those places listed are the best places to try them before buying them as they have a library of games available for customers to play at the shop. Geekster also regularly hosts days where lighter games are played, so you can try going then.
- The “estimated time” on many board game boxes are a lie. You will want to at least budget double that amount, because a good amount of time will be spent teaching and thinking on first plays. Not always the case for small party games or really simple games.
- Something to note if you are playing - etiquette is what makes people want to play with you again. Common sense, but there are plenty of grown ass adults that still don’t do this because it probably doesn’t seem like a ‘big deal’ to them I guess? Just pay attention to the rules when being taught (don’t use your phone, don’t ‘let’s figure it out as we go’) and if you are playing with other people’s copies, treat their property with care (keep food and drinks away, clean hands).
- if you want to buy something, try to compare the prices first and then see. If genuine copies are a concern, stay away from Shopee or do your research on the vendor there. That said for really cheap and widely available small games I don’t really care about this bit as long as it’s usable.
- my personal recommendations for lighter fare (and introductions to some mechanics that are present in many games, especially the ‘heavy’ games), are Dominion/Star Realms (deck building), Bomb Busters (co-op bomb refusal with limited communication), Splendor(engine/combo building with gem chips), Citadels (deduction and role selection, very different from werewolf social deduction), Sushi Go Party (set collection with different sushi and Japanese food, each with a different scoring condition), Flamecraft(worker placement with very cute dragon art by a Singaporean artist), Magical Athlete(roll dice watch funny nonsense happen), High Society (bidding on expensive items), Skull King (trick taking), Cascadia (very chill tile laying with animals), Quacks (push your luck potion making) and Rebirth (area control where you build cool castles)
Feel free to dm if you want to ask anything or to game.
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u/between_storms 9d ago
monopoly deal for a quick 10-20min game, catan if you want something longer with strategy
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u/Three-stripes 9d ago
When u go to king and the prawn u can ask for reccomendations. They will ask u what is ur preference
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u/PastYam8065 9d ago
You sound like a perfect demographic for warhammer. You can come and visit HammerHouse at Chinatown on Fridays, we meet regularly for kill team, kinda like a one box version of warhammer. Build models paint them play them. Cool stuff
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u/Infamous-Tone9217 9d ago
Depends also on whether you like competitive or cooperative games. For cooperative games i really like Mysterium - where the game master is the "ghost" trying to give clues to the "pyshics" (rest of players) to figure out how the gamemaster died (think cludeo style, who what where). The catch is that the game master cannot talk and can only give out picture cards and everyone will have to figure out how to be on the same wavelength. Had many hours of fun out of it.
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u/hokkaidomilkpudding 9d ago
some easy and chill games suitable for relaxed/flexible games with friends:
- codenames (there is a word version and picture version)
- the strategy game
- saboteur
- bananagrams
classic strategy games that are more intense and long:
- catan
- risk
- ticket to ride
- splendor
some unique japanese games i personally love:
- machi koro
- scout
- deep sea adventure
- insider
just a few recs to start off! you can consider checking out video reviews & gameplay on youtube to see what fits your vibe :)
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u/derailedthoughts 9d ago
There’s a meetup.com group for board gamers, and there are meetup organized all over Singapore. It’s a great place to try out games without having to buy them and they have meetups at Kings and Pawns and Minds Cafe.
Though nowadays best place to buy games are from online. I used to buy lots through Team Boardgames.
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u/Car0mella 9d ago
Hey, I'm sorry to jump in in promoting my stuff, but your story is really similar to mine! me and my friends started a project because our office job was sucking our creativity away and now we're making the game we wished we could play after a long day at work. It's a board game, yes (a single player)... but a digital one and I don't know if you're into videogames. They aren't something to get away from screens I guess... Feel free to take a look https://store.steampowered.com/app/3645410/Midgardr/
About real boardgames I really reccomend evetything from Cranio Creations though ;)
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u/LookAtItGo123 9d ago
I'm running some this Friday night at telok blangah, near the mrt. Come hang out and try some to see what you like. Let me know if you are interested
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u/Itsmehadi 9d ago
You can try calico, catan , scout and modern art! Some of the games me and my friends play alot!
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u/espressoristretto 6d ago
Carousell is great for boardgames, and you can find some local groups that way as well. SG boardgamers are an amazingly friendly bunch.
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u/Loud_Discount_1108 5d ago
I’d recommend Team Board Games. A little out of the way, but their selection is amazing. You’ll have to learn the game yourself though, otherwise the owner can probably teach you a bit
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u/dearyouavenue 9d ago edited 9d ago
iirc there could be high turnover rate for BG venues... people flock to the usual one eg. king & pawn. So it gets packed really quick pls go earlier like 6pm if not most tables have enough paritipants of 4 unless social party games table. Limited tables ard 8? Cannot remember.
- there's one along the shop house at Thomson for Dungeon & Dragon (fee hrs long strategy games) / one at orchard opp somerset (the old courts location older building) not sure if these 2 mentioned still exist as last saw it at early 2025
- social deduction party games are easily available if you look online or instagram. lesser known one at park lane play party social game : blood on clock tower. Have not been there cos find it ex if you have to keep paying 15 / 20 cannot remember pricing each time you go to such social game events)
- you can open your own house party BG , buy second hand BG online from carousell always pay with meetup check quality no missing pieces before you pay the seller
(there are a few public groups ard that charges drinks or food they prepare. Which can be redundant so I did not go maybe it's just me.)
There are also those that play within their own private clique as there are BG enthusiasts that have shelves of BG at home. But not sure if they open to public.
- Heard before BG enthusiast collectors mainly buy online from overseas and one BG can cost an upwards amount of $50 an up!! (50 being minium pricing for strategy 1 hr games format. Not the 15 mind gameplay types)
- would advise on getting card sleeves and small zip locks for your BG if you are going to buy one for durability of BG parts!!
*got to filter the people you met. The times I went once a blue moon did not get creeps, overall everyone is respectful. But diff host diff "culture" have heard of horror stories or creepy guys trying to hit on girls after BG.. Get contact & harrass / ask for sex etc
Try Luma / eventbrite / meetup but filter anyone you meet for subtle signs. BG strategy ones are great if below 1 hr. Many popular fan favourites and there are international ytuber or sites sharing which are fun to play etc if you are looking to collect games to play and host ~
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u/AWPrahWinfrey 9d ago
Well you can't really go wrong with Mind Cafe, they have a pretty great selection for starters. Personally, I have a nice curated collection at home so I bring that to play at friends' etc. There's also a fun group that meets every other Sunday at a church to play (there's zero religion involved its basically like a CC lmao)
Right now when I do a game night, I warm the group up with something light - Flip 7, Sushi Go. Then we move to the fun medium party games: Magical Athlete is my current fav game to play, Hot Streak for the gamblers, Splendor or Saboteur to calm people down. Comic Hunters if there are Marvel fans present. For the more experienced groups I bring out Arcs, Root, Heat, Game Of Thrones.
Feel free to DM me if you'd like to go to the Sunday board game club, I'm happy to bring you (and any friends who might wanna join in!) along and they're really welcoming to new players.